Floreat Surf Life Saving Club

1958 was the year in which a completely new image was to take over the club. At the general meeting, it was voted to change the club's name from North City to Floreat. This step was taken in an all out effort to get away from the idea many people had that North City was only an extension of the City of Perth club. It was also voted to add the colour "Carnation Red" to the royal blue and gold of the North City club.

Floreat Beach looking South, Late 60s

The first season as the Floreat club was one of its best, with a high membership especially in the senior ranks which numbered 51 active members. A surf boat (Pontiac Chieftain), the first boat the club owned, was purchased from Warriewood Surf Club in NSW. A deposit of 200 pounds was paid, and the remaining 200 pounds was paid off monthly. This was a great moment in the club's history.

The summer season of 1959/60 showed a marked drop in membership. This was attributed to the fact that several of the more prominent members found they had to patrol an enlarged area formed by the construction of the Floreat groyne to the south of existing patrol area. The clubrooms, which they had been using since 1947 and continued to use until 1962, were the old wooden change rooms which were located just in front of where the present kiosk and change rooms are today. This made patrolling the new and popular section of beach beside the groyne a much harder task. This decline in members continued until the summer of 1964/65 when the club's total registered membership numbered only 35.

Going to the Nationals

In March of 1961, Floreat was represented for the first time by a senior members team at a National Surf Championship. Mona Vale in South Australia was the host beach and thirteen of our members attended, contributing 15 pounds each to cover travelling expenses, and although none reached finals in their events, much experience was gained and a good time was had by all.

New and larger clubrooms was a goal of the club from the early days of North City, and in 1962 this goal became reality. The Perth City Council, always a generous supporter of the club, felt there was a need for a multipurpose building within the area which could be utilised during the 1962 Empire Games and the Floreat club thereafter. The Council built a clubrooms on the hill, closer to the main and popular area near the groyne. This location enabled easy patrolling of all the Floreat Beach, and a good position to keep watch for potential dangers. Those clubrooms were extended on two occasions (1966 & 1972 ) to give the club more storage area for gear and extra administration and utility areas.

1966 saw, for the first time, the inclusion of members between the ages of 9 and 13 years into the ranks of the Floreat Club. This new Juvenile movement, as it was known, was the greatest single asset the club had over the previous eleven years. It brought into the club a steady stream of young members and the support of the parents was also recognised. This Juvenile area was soon to be the largest section of the club.

Senior Members

From that time on, steady progress was made in membership and the club was always held together by a strong nucleus of members to take all the key committee positions. Membership drives were launched in the mid and late 60's so after the early 1970's it was felt the real progress could be clearly seen.